J&K Highway Closed Due To Snowfall, Landslides

4 February 2005The Indian Express

Jammu: The 300-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway was today closed to vehicular traffic due to heavy snowfall on several stretches since last night. Over 150 vehicles were stranded at different places along the highway and the army has swung into action, providing food and relief, official sources said here. The highway has been closed from Banihal to Patnitop due to landslides and accumulation of snow, including three feet at the Patnitop hill resort. The stretch between Patnitop-Ramban-Banihal-Jawahar tunnel as also closed and it was still snowing in the Banihal and tunnel areas, the sources said. Vehicular traffic has been stopped at Nagrota, about 12 kms from here. The Doda-Jammu and Poonch-Jammu roads have also got blocked due to landslides and snowfall, they said. Border roads organisation personnel were working to clear the highway, but continuous snowfall was making their task difficult, the sources added.